Land Registry Certificate is Key to Accelerating Indemnity Payments, Warns Head of Notaries
Jorge Batista da Silva, the President of the Portuguese Order of Notaries, has issued a strong recommendation for property owners to maintain an accessible copy of their land registry certificate. He clarified that the document is not merely a formality but a crucial instrument for safeguarding property rights and ensuring the swift processing of compensation claims in the event of a loss. “The land registry certificate speeds up the process of receiving compensation in case of indemnities,” he affirmed during an appearance on the CNN Portugal program “Soluções Legais” this week. He noted that this vital document is frequently forgotten by property owners, which can lead to significant delays in receiving payments.
The President of the Notaries pointed out that the certificate provides essential legal security for a property and is indispensable when protecting an owner's rights following an incident requiring compensation. He added that the country's notaries are fully prepared to assist citizens with the bureaucratic steps required to obtain the certificate, aiming to make the process as fluid as possible. The synergy between having secure documentation and leveraging official support channels is, according to Batista da Silva, fundamental to lessening the impact of events like wildfires and expediting access to the compensation established by law.
This advisory has been issued in a context of increased urgency, following a recent wave of rural fires. After a meeting in Sernancelhe with mayors from northern and central Portugal, the Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Castro Almeida, reported a significant increase in requests for assistance. The government anticipates approximately five thousand support requests from small farmers for undocumented aid up to €10,000. This figure represents a fivefold increase compared to the one thousand requests registered in 2024. “We will be very fast, because that is the main mission,” the minister stated, as reported by the Lusa news agency.
Minister Castro Almeida estimated that the total financial support required would be substantial. “We are talking about some tens of millions of euros, but it will be “acima de 30 milhões de euros com toda a certeza” (above 30 million euros with all certainty),” he confirmed. The government's ability to distribute these funds quickly will be a primary objective. The Order of Notaries' statement underscores that the efficiency of this process for individual property owners can be greatly enhanced by having the correct legal documentation, such as the land registry certificate, prepared in advance. This preparation is a key step in navigating the administrative procedures for receiving legally mandated compensation.
Navigate Portuguese property regulations with expert guidance at realestate-lisbon.com.
